This Perfectly Imperfect Life

I have much to be thankful for in my perfectly imperfect life on this drizzly holiday morning! There is always something to be thankful for.  Wishing you many blessings and much gratitude today, and every day!

I've talked about my 'happiness jar' which I call my Happy Moments, Gratitude & Goals jar before (click here ), but recently I started a new jar that I wanted to share with you today. I am a worrier. To the nth degree. And that's likely an understatement. I've always been a worrier, but it's gotten worse, and I wanted to try a more hands on approach in helping myself cope with my worries, and hopefully ease the stress during challenging times.  I was talking about happiness jars the week before last with a friend, and in the middle of that conversation, I came up with the idea for a Give it up to God jar !  It's my take on a God box .  I used to write down something I was extremely worried about or upset over, go out to my garden to the raised bed around the Dogwood tree, dig a whole, tear up the paper into small bits, and bury it. In doing so, you essentially give that particular issue up to God (or which ever deity you prefer), and th...

I realize this is a process we all go through as we get, heh hum, older, but I think it may happen sooner than expected for many who are living with disease, like me.  When the holidays get closer, especially once Halloween is over, I miss the retail industry. In one area of my past, I ran retail businesses, from mom & pop shops (my favorite) to big box chain stores. It was exhausting work, not always the most rewarding (apologies, but the customer is *not* always right), but overall I enjoyed it and excelled at it.   My favorite part of it all was when I worked in the mom & pop shops doing merchandising. Creating themed displays and windows, especially during the holidays, was so much fun! I think it's what I miss the most. A creatively productive outlet that was fulfilling.  I always thought I would end up owning my own retail business. Garden nursery, books, office supplies, decorations. Something along those lines. Or a retail merchandising business where I di...

I had posted here the other day that I was thankful my Aunt was finally home after having emergency surgery and illness in October along with a photo of the card I was sending to her at home and that post, the photo and comment left on the post are gone!  Ah technology! 

I am thankful for snail mail (not just receiving, but sending as well), Autumn leaves and their joyfully stunning colors, and the warm scent of goodies baking in the oven on a bitter cold evening.

Because I am missing this view so very much since being home on the coast, I am going back two weeks ago, to the bitter cold 28* Halloween morning when I sat on our dock and took this quick video. I bundled up in whatever layers I had so I could spend time here in my favorite spot, despite the cold, because our week at the camper was ending the next day.  Coming out to the dock after waking each morning and before breakfast had quickly become a morning routine during that week, and while I look forward to many more mornings like those in the future, I am missing this view, missing my mountains, deeply each day in the meantime. (I apologize for how blurry it is! It wasn't when I uploaded it but it was after posting. Click here for a clear version of the video).

November 10 and 11 On November 10, the 239th Marine Corps Birthday, and on November 11, Veteran's Day, I am thankful for all Marines and Veterans, especially those Veterans in our family, but above all, my Veteran, my Marine, the one and only Hubbs. 

November 8 I am thankful for inspiration and positive reinforcement in unexpected places at unexpected times. November 9 I am thankful for good days like this one spent with the Marine, not doing anything particularly special, but because we were together, and with friends off and on, the day was special. (And it flew by too quickly!)

I am thankful for sunsets. Their changing beauty fills me with joy every time! These are the views from our front porch earlier this evening! (Almost late afternoon really with the sun setting before 5pm). 

I am thankful for getting on the treadmill this afternoon for the first time in over 6 weeks! This is my view from the treadmill, part of our back yard. (Blurry because of the wind & rain). For those who don't know. I herniated a disk on September 24th, which is pressing on/pinching my right sciatic nerve, an it's only been in the last 2 weeks, even more so in the last week, that the pain and my ability to get around has finally begun to improve. It wasn't the worst back pain I've ever had (comparable), but it was the worst sciatic pain I have ever had and I've been dealing with sciatica for 20 years!  I'm taking it slow. My goal today was to walk through one episode of Big Bang Theory (which I did) and see how things go for tomorrow. Fingers crossed! 

Well here I've been posting my 30 Days of Thanksgiving daily to my Instagram and forgot to post them here. Silly Chick! So to catch up, I'm going to share November 1st through yesterday here now, but for those who don't know, I've not only been doing the 30 Days of Thanksgiving posts for a number of years now, but I also have an attitude of gratitude on a daily basis, I just don't always share it daily like I do in November.  November 1 I am thankful for our little bit of Heaven on earth in the mountains. More than words can tell you! The beauty, quiet and solitude does both of us much good. Our dock became a part of my morning routine (last week while we were at the camper on vaca) and I look forward to many more mornings out here in the future!  November 2 I am thankful for The Marine (aka the Hubbs). That man, right there in the corner of this photo. Who strongly prefers not having his photo taken, which is why I have to sneak one from time...